Retro Reads Book Club is back with another deep dive into our reading past, this time tackling the dark and twisted classic Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. Many of us first stumbled upon this book by raiding our mom’s bookshelves or passing it between friends, drawn in by its scandalous reputation. Now, as adults, we’re peeling back the layers of its complex female characters and its sharp commentary on American puritanism and wealth. And of course, we can’t ignore the wildly tangled Foxworth family tree.
Discussion questions:
How do characters deal with the fear of becoming like their mothers, especially when they both love and hate them? Can they ever truly escape their mother's influence? How does the father’s belief that he can buy his way into heaven challenge the notion of spiritual purity? What commentary does this make on the intersection of money and morality? How does the pressure to embody innocence and purity, especially for the children in the story, affect their perceptions of themselves? How do these constructs influence their behavior and their understanding of love, worth, and morality in such a confined and damaging environment? What is it about Flowers in the Attic and V.C. Andrews that continues to endure after all this time?Follow Us
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